The premier has issued a public apology to angry Queenslanders for letting NRL families into the state while refusing to let stranded residents return home.
Annastacia Palaszczuk spent this week defending the NRL arrivals but on Friday conceded “it shouldn’t have happened” when Queenslanders in COVID-19 hotspots were banned from coming home.
“I apologise, it was not the right thing to do when we had the pause,” the premier said on Friday.
“It shouldn’t have happened. Unfortunately, it did happen, and I extend my apologies to the public about that.”
The premier recently imposed a two-week ban on interstate arrivals saying capacity at the state’s quarantine hotels was stretched to the limit.
When a plane load of NRL players’ wives, girlfriends and children, along with league officials, was allowed in on Monday, Queenslanders stranded interstate, and families who’d packed up homes to permanently move to the northern state, erupted in anger.
On Friday, the premier reiterated the entourage did not take up rooms in state quarantine hotels, and were put up elsewhere by the NRL. But she also accepted the optics weren’t good.
“It was not the right look. I accept that.”
The ban on arrivals will begin to lift on Saturday when 50 newly available rooms in quarantine hotels will be filled.
There’ll be a dramatic ramp up on Monday, when an additional 680 hotel quarantine rooms become available.
Queensland had no new cases of COVID-19 on Friday and the premier has pleaded with everyone aged 16 and over to roll up their sleeves and protect themselves before the next cluster emerges.
“This is absolutely critical that we use this window of opportunity to get as many Queenslanders vaccinated so when the virus does get here, we are well prepared,” she said.
Queensland’s vaccination coverage, which is currently 51.6 per cent for one dose and 32.9 per cent fully vaccinated, is the second lowest in the country.
Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said she wanted every eligible Queenslander to have been offered a vaccine before the state reopens.
She took offence on Friday when asked what level of COVID-19 deaths she would be comfortable with.
The question was asked in the context of Doherty Institute modelling the federal government is relying on to open up the country. It details the deaths that can be expected under different pandemic scenarios.
“I’m a doctor – none,” she replied. “Come on, can you please remember who I am?
“I’m not comfortable with any deaths that are preventable, so that’s why I want every single Queenslander to be vaccinated, because that is the best protection.”
Dr Young said the risk from two infected truck drivers who’ve been in Queensland was low.
She said she was very pleased that the close contacts of an infected truck driver, from the Logan suburb of Windaroo, had all tested negative.
So too had a Gold Coast family accused of making an illegal trip to Melbourne and back. They initially refused to be tested but relented.
Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said officers were trying to track the family’s movements through Melbourne and NSW.
“We will be investigating where they came from in Melbourne, but they also travelled through NSW. You can be assured that if there are any offences that they will be investigated.”
AAP
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